Who has graduated with a WGU Masters in Information Security and Assurance?

anothergeek

and has been able to get a increase in pay or a job in the security field? I would like to hear about other students experiences with this degree.

-Foxer-

I haven't finished yet, but I should this summer. I won't be able to get a pay increase where I'm at now (local government), but hopefully I'll be able to find something security related.

I'm interested to know as well (and I'll keep you updated on my situation).

anothergeek

Thanks Foxer, I began my degree this semester and I am interested in what other students are doing with this degree and if they have seen any improvements in the job market.

YuckTheFankees

I think a lot of people are thinking the same thing. The degree looks like a good route but is it paying off for people who have graduated?

anothergeek

exactly! I am thinking about it like man by the time I am done with this I will be in 12k-18k debt in school loans....

YuckTheFankees

I really want to know how employers feel about the degree, even if its backed by the DoD..do they look down upon graduate online degrees.. blah blah you know the drill

anothergeek

True...thats a good question actually.

colemic

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

I really want to know how employers feel about the degree, even if its backed by the DoD..do they look down upon graduate online degrees.. blah blah you know the drill

I am starting this program this summer... I don't know how it will be perceived, but I would wager that it helps a LOT to have the certs in their as well, as opposed to a simple online degree that you really don't have anything to show for.

YuckTheFankees

colemic wrote: »

I am starting this program this summer... I don't know how it will be perceived, but I would wager that it helps a LOT to have the certs in their as well, as opposed to a simple online degree that you really don't have anything to show for.

I agree, just make sure you come back and give us some information about the masters and how you like the program.

colemic

Oh I will. Especially if it doesn't meet my expectations. (check out some of the posts where I express my displeasure with ISACA and their study materials.

aethereos

bump

Colemic and Foxer, or anybody else in the WGU MS IA program, could you guys give us a quick update on your progress and career direction?

I'm starting the program on September 1 and hope I can finish it in 2 semesters or less. I've researched for weeks every school in the 2009 NSA CAE list (the latest one available) and still decided to attend WGU. I work full time so some of the schools require time and tuition commitments far beyond what I can afford. Besides, my employer has rather impressive VMware environment so I get to practice IA skills in a real world setting vs simulations in some college campus.

colemic

I tee off July 1.

anothergeek

My update I was able to finish 16 hours this semester. I might be able to graduate by December.

aethereos

anothergeek wrote: »

My update I was able to finish 16 hours this semester. I might be able to graduate by December.

Do you take your classes in the sequence WGU suggested?

jtoast

My wife and I both started the program in May and are hoping to finish it in two terms...we shall see. . I had hoped to knock out the first two classes +CCNA in the first two months but my new work schedule has thrown me way behind. So far all I've managed to complete is the organizational management course. I took all next week off and plan to dedicate it to studying. With any luck I can knock out a few more.

anothergeek

aethereos wrote: »

Do you take your classes in the sequence WGU suggested?

Yes and No..I started with the ones they recommended as soon as I was done with those I picked my own classes.

higherho

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

I really want to know how employers feel about the degree, even if its backed by the DoD..do they look down upon graduate online degrees.. blah blah you know the drill

Online degree's are not looked down upon in the GOV (at least DOD). Heck most recommend taking online courses because it works well with your work schedule.

Plus a few people at DISA recommend me to go to WGU for cost issues and if money was not an issue then go to Drexell.

instant000

LOL. I'm going to WGU, to try to get at least one Master, and then, I want to get at least one more Master's from somewhere else. (Maybe Penn State online or somewhere.)

As far as better job offers, the single best certification I've gained so far has been the CISSP, by a land slide. I guess part of it is your work exp, but it put me at the level of being eligible for director/VP-level positions, and being recruited by people with strong English skills, and that was the single item that changed on my resume.

The master's degree, for me, is just something I want to check off the box, for HR filter. Namely, I'm interested in some of the higher government services jobs, and they want stuff like a Ph.D, or two master's, in the elimination questions.

higherho

instant000 wrote: »

LOL. I'm going to WGU, to try to get at least one Master, and then, I want to get at least one more Master's from somewhere else. (Maybe Penn State online or somewhere.)

As far as better job offers, the single best certification I've gained so far has been the CISSP, by a land slide. I guess part of it is your work exp, but it put me at the level of being eligible for director/VP-level positions, and being recruited by people with strong English skills, and that was the single item that changed on my resume.

The master's degree, for me, is just something I want to check off the box, for HR filter. Namely, I'm interested in some of the higher government services jobs, and they want stuff like a Ph.D, or two master's, in the elimination questions.

I'm curious, if you get all those degree's /etc will you still be doing technical work? if not I would assume you would climb to management and if thats the case would you miss the technical stuff? Or would you become like some IT director that still gets his hands dirty in the design / install ?

jtoast

Anyone know if WGU received its NSA certification? The CAE site hasn't been updated with the 2011 list yet but it should have been announced earlier this month.

jdchilders

Look in one of the other 10,000 wgu threads. I called a couple weeks ago, and they had submitted for application (it opened in June, so of course there was no way it would already be official by the beginning of june). anyway, they did submit, and they are currently in "candidacy status" waiting to hear back on approval.

jtoast

No, the deadline for application submission is January 15. The announcement of who made the cut was made at the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education which was held on June 12-15th. I just can't find their results anywhere. Since I don't see an announcement that they passed, I can only assume they missed something again this year.

EDIT:
I found the program for the conference here, but all it says is that the recognition ceremony was held at 6pm on June 14th. I cant find the results

Bundiman

So here is a bump to an old thread. Any update from the people who started this back in 2011?

jm0202

Well I am about to finish on July 29 (only oral defense left). When my employer knew about my MS. He offered me a position as the ISSO in the company. However our customer didn't renew our contract and we are fighting back to get it. (BTW he offered me a substantial raise too).
When I spoke to the counselors they informed me that WGU is not looking to be a CAE anymore . When I asked why, they didn't give me an answer

aspiringsoul

I'm also curious about this. I will be enrolling in this program next May.

veritas_libertas

From what I understand, even well known universities are not looking at going after the CAE or simply not renewing it. I've heard differing opinions as to why.

emerald_octane

jm0202 wrote: »

When I spoke to the counselors they informed me that WGU is not looking to be a CAE anymore . When I asked why, they didn't give me an answer

This def sucks but atleast CNSS is there; better than nothing.

DissonantData

Is the CAE really important for getting a job in infosec? What if you want to work for the government or the NSA?

colemic

DissonantData wrote: »

Is the CAE really important for getting a job in infosec? What if you want to work for the government or the NSA?

I may be the minority here, but I personally don't feel it is worth a hill of beans, and I have never even seen it listed in a job advertisement or posting anywhere. It has literally never come up, and if you aren't involved in some point in education, you probably haven't even ever heard of it.

instant000

CAE is pertinent if you want your curriculum set up by an outside party.

There is a difference in opinion of what the NSA thinks should be in a cyber security curriculum, versus what universities think should be in a cyber security curriculum. The NSA actually wants to get out of this business, and is trying to facilitate whereby the standard is set by what the universities agree to.

Last I read from looking at The Colloquium a month or so back was that they had yet to formalize all the different knowledge domains and what the required courses look like for the upcoming revision to the standards.

As far as the WGU Master's degree coming into play, it came into play during several job interviews, where I discovered that people could not discern that the degree was "in progress" and not completed (though I clearly stated that it was in progress on the resume).

Now that it is completed, I cannot say that it hurts any. (Like I said earlier in the thread, CISSP provided the single greatest ROI of any credentials I've gained to date.)

Currently, I'm backing way off the idea of a second masters at Penn State (your mind changes after two years), and think an MBA at UT-Austin would be alot more useful as I seek to transition to management/running my own business.

Bundiman

So it been more than six months time to bump this again. I will start this program in June.